Shopify prepares for radical AI shopping agents
Shopify’s president says AI shopping agents could transform e-commerce by personalizing product discovery and helping merchants reach new customers.
Los Angeles: Shopify is getting ready for big changes in online shopping. President Harley Finklestein says the company is fully embracing AI shopping agents.
These agents work like smart personal shoppers that help people find and buy products online. Finklestein says only about 18% of shopping in America happens online now, but AI could change this. The agents learn what you like and remember your brand preferences.
He explained using an example about running shoes: when you search for shoes again, the AI will show you more of what you already like instead of just popular brands. “The agents get to know you personally,” Finklestein said.
He adds that regular search engines don’t consider personal preferences as well as AI agents can. Unlike human salespeople who work on commission, these AI assistants only show you what they think you’ll want to buy.
Shopify is developing several AI tools for merchants. They’re creating “Sidekick,” an AI assistant for sellers. They’re also building support agents and ways for shopping apps to better understand store data.
Finklestein believes AI shopping agents will help all kinds of sellers, especially smaller ones who struggle to get their products noticed. “We’re excited about this new era of shopping,” he said. “It creates opportunities for everyone.”